Our Pathology and Laboratory Quality Center of Evidence-based Guidelines has advanced blood cancer diagnostics by developing nine recommendations to standardize the basic components of a synoptic report template for bone marrow samples. It tackles the complexities of the bone marrow organ and establishes an evidence-based framework that pathologists and laboratories can use to ensure that their synoptic reporting templates for bone marrow samples are complete and clear and provides the appropriate data that will be used to guide patient care.

The key questions that the panel addressed were:

Considering the possible primary bone marrow morphologic descriptors, which ones are required on a synoptic report if completeness is the outcome of interest?

Considering the possible ancillary studies that could be ordered on a bone marrow specimen, which ones are required on a synoptic report if completeness is the outcome of interest?

What sequence of results reporting should be followed?

Considering the options available, is there an optimal report format that should be used if ease of use, error reduction, and fewer incompletes are the outcomes of interest?

Is there an optimal presentation for the elements of the minimum data set if the outcomes of interest are clarity and ease of use?

Which components required for correct coding and data repositories should be included in the report?